"Doogie Howser, M.D." (1989) TV series 1989-1993

Creators:

Steven Bochco
David E. Kelley
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

19 September 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Family

Plot:

A teenaged genius deals with the usual problems of growing up: having a girlfriend, going to parties...

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | Best Friend | Genius | Teenager | Diary

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 8 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Neil Patrick Harris	...	Dr. Doogie Howser (97 episodes, 1989-1993)
Max Casella	...	Vinnie Delpino (97 episodes, 1989-1993)
Belinda Montgomery	...	Katherine Howser (97 episodes, 1989-1993)
Lawrence Pressman	...	Dr. Benjamin Canfield (97 episodes, 1989-1993)
Kathryn Layng	...	Nurse Curly Spaulding (97 episodes, 1989-1993)
James Sikking	...	Dr. David Howser (97 episodes, 1989-1993)
Markus Redmond	...	Raymond Alexander (71 episodes, 1990-1993)
Lucy Boryer	...	Janine Stewart (61 episodes, 1989-1993)
Mitchell Anderson	...	Dr. Jack McGuire (51 episodes, 1989-1991)
Lisa Dean Ryan	...	Wanda Plenn (46 episodes, 1989-1992)

Series Directed by
Stephen Cragg		(11 episodes, 1989-1992)
Scott Goldstein		(8 episodes, 1990-1993)
Win Phelps		(7 episodes, 1990-1992)
Rob Thompson		(6 episodes, 1989-1991)
Charles Haid		(6 episodes, 1990-1992)
Eric Laneuville		(6 episodes, 1990-1992)
David Carson		(4 episodes, 1990-1993)
Joan Darling		(4 episodes, 1990-1992)
Joe Ann Fogle		(4 episodes, 1991-1993)
Gabrielle Beaumont		(3 episodes, 1989-1992)
Joan Tewkesbury		(3 episodes, 1990-1992)
Brad Silberling		(3 episodes, 1990-1991)
Bill D'Elia		(3 episodes, 1991-1993)
Mark Horowitz		(3 episodes, 1992-1993)
Sandy Smolan		(2 episodes, 1989-1991)
Johanna Demetrakas		(2 episodes, 1989-1990)
Sheldon Larry		(2 episodes, 1989)
Betty Thomas		(2 episodes, 1989)
Rick Wallace		(2 episodes, 1989)
Michael Fresco		(2 episodes, 1990-1992)

Series Writing credits
Steven Bochco		(97 episodes, 1989-1993)
David E. Kelley		(97 episodes, 1989-1993)
Nat Bernstein		(23 episodes, 1989-1993)
Mitchel Katlin		(23 episodes, 1989-1993)
Nick Harding		(20 episodes, 1990-1993)
Todd Fischer		(13 episodes, 1991-1993)
Linda Morris		(11 episodes, 1989-1992)
Vic Rauseo		(11 episodes, 1989-1992)
Phil Kellard		(11 episodes, 1989-1991)
Tom Moore		(11 episodes, 1989-1991)
Hollis Rich		(10 episodes, 1991-1992)
Ellen Herman		(6 episodes, 1991-1992)
Elaine Aronson		(5 episodes, 1992-1993)
P.K. Simonds		(5 episodes, 1992-1993)
Jill Gordon		(4 episodes, 1989-1990)
Michael Swerdlick		(4 episodes, 1990)
Eileen Heisler		(2 episodes, 1991-1992)
DeAnn Heline		(2 episodes, 1991-1992)

Series Produced by
Stephen Cragg	....	supervising producer / co-executive producer (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
Joe Ann Fogle	....	producer / co-producer / ... (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
Scott Goldstein	....	supervising producer / producer / ... (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
Jeffrey A. Henry	....	associate producer / supervising associate producer (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
Mark Horowitz	....	supervising associate producer / co-producer / ... (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
Linda Morris	....	executive producer / producer / ... (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
Vic Rauseo	....	executive producer / producer / ... (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
Nat Bernstein	....	producer / co-producer / ... (71 episodes, 1990-1993)
Mitchel Katlin	....	producer / co-producer / ... (70 episodes, 1990-1993)
Steven Bochco	....	executive producer (51 episodes, 1989-1991)
Phil Kellard	....	producer / senior producer (50 episodes, 1989-1991)
Tom Moore	....	producer / senior producer (50 episodes, 1989-1991)
Nick Harding	....	co-producer / producer (46 episodes, 1991-1993)
Arturs Rusis	....	associate producer (46 episodes, 1991-1993)
Ron Mitchell	....	coordinating producer (45 episodes, 1991-1993)
Hollis Rich	....	co-producer (24 episodes, 1991-1992)
Jill Gordon	....	producer (19 episodes, 1989-1990)
Elaine Aronson	....	co-producer (17 episodes, 1992-1993)

Series Original Music by
Mike Post		(97 episodes, 1989-1993)

Series Cinematography by
Michael D. O'Shea		(68 episodes, 1990-1993)
Frederick Moore		(25 episodes, 1989-1990)
Robert M. Stevens		(3 episodes, 1993)

Series Film Editing by
Richard Freeman		(33 episodes, 1989-1993)
Lance Luckey		(23 episodes, 1990-1993)
Casey O. Rohrs		(20 episodes, 1990-1993)
Joe Ann Fogle		(9 episodes, 1989-1990)
Maureen O'Connell		(9 episodes, 1989-1990)
George R. Rohrs		(4 episodes, 1989-1990)

Series Casting by
Robert Harbin		(92 episodes, 1989-1993)
Beth Hymson		(92 episodes, 1989-1993)
Alice Cassidy		(70 episodes, 1990-1993)

Series Production Design by
Peter Clemens		(71 episodes, 1990-1993)
Jeffrey L. Goldstein		(19 episodes, 1989-1990)

Series Art Direction by
Peter Clemens		(7 episodes, 1990)

Series Set Decoration by
Brenda Meyers-Ballard		(96 episodes, 1989-1993)

Series Makeup Department
Romy Fleming	....	hair stylist (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
Norman Page	....	makeup artist (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
Timothy A. Miguel	....	makeup artist (84 episodes, 1990-1993)
Dorothy D. Fox	....	hair stylist / makeup artist (76 episodes, 1990-1993)
Elaina P. Schulman	....	hair stylist (20 episodes, 1989-1990)
Tom Hoerber	....	makeup artist (12 episodes, 1989)

Series Production Management
Ron Mitchell	....	unit production manager (96 episodes, 1989-1993)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Concetta Rinaldo-Williams	....	first assistant director / second assistant director / ... (62 episodes, 1989-1993)
Danny Irom	....	second assistant director (46 episodes, 1991-1993)
Jeffrey M. Ellis	....	second assistant director (25 episodes, 1990-1991)
Nancy Jacobs	....	first assistant director (23 episodes, 1990-1993)
Irwin Marcus	....	first assistant director (21 episodes, 1989-1991)
Charlotte Dreiman	....	first assistant director (12 episodes, 1989-1990)
Edward Crocitto	....	second second assistant director (10 episodes, 1989)
Kimberly Law	....	dga trainee (10 episodes, 1991)
Dinah LeHoven	....	dga trainee (9 episodes, 1990)
Kenneth J. Silverstein	....	dga trainee (8 episodes, 1989-1990)
Judith Moore	....	dga trainee (8 episodes, 1990-1991)
Jessica Kreps	....	dga trainee (8 episodes, 1991)
Ronald Chong	....	dga trainee (7 episodes, 1990)
Ron Dempsey	....	dga trainee (7 episodes, 1991-1992)
Michael Scott Bryant	....	dga trainee (7 episodes, 1992-1993)
Mark Tobey	....	dga trainee (7 episodes, 1992)
David Trotti	....	dga trainee (7 episodes, 1992)
Mitchell Bock	....	first assistant director (3 episodes, 1989)
Frederic Roth	....	dga trainee (3 episodes, 1993)
Cary Brown	....	second second assistant director (2 episodes, 1992)
Lisa Landres	....	dga trainee (2 episodes, 1993)

Series Art Department
Gregg Hayden Bilson II	....	property master (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
William 'W' Gilpin	....	construction coordinator / construction supervisor (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
Carl D. Reed	....	lead person (81 episodes, 1990-1993)
David Napoli	....	set dresser (27 episodes, 1990-1992)
Kirk B. Jones	....	lead person (15 episodes, 1989-1990)
Mychael Bates	....	set dresser (unknown episodes)
Mindy Roffman	....	assistant to the art director (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Ron Horwitz	....	sound editor (94 episodes, 1989-1993)
Norval D. Crutcher III	....	dialogue editor (84 episodes, 1990-1993)
Joe Kenworthy	....	production sound mixer (70 episodes, 1990-1993)
Sam Horta	....	sound editor (51 episodes, 1989-1991)
Mike Getlin	....	sound re-recording mixer / re-recording mixer (46 episodes, 1990-1993)
Dean Okrand	....	re-recording mixer (46 episodes, 1990-1993)
Bill Thiederman	....	sound re-recording mixer / re-recording mixer (46 episodes, 1990-1993)
Greg LaPlante	....	sound editor (35 episodes, 1991-1993)
Bill Marky	....	production sound mixer / sound mixer (26 episodes, 1989-1990)
Paul J. Diller	....	sound effects editor (unknown episodes)
Michael Gollom	....	dialogue editor (unknown episodes)
William Griggs	....	adr editor (unknown episodes)
Eileen Horta	....	supervising sound editor (unknown episodes)
John O. Robinson III	....	sound effects editor (unknown episodes)
Les Wolf	....	dialogue editor / foley editor (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Ken Speed	....	special effects assistant (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Gary Rodriguez	....	stunts (1 episode, 1991)
Ray Lykins	....	assistant stunt coordinator / stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Tim Evans	....	chief lighting technician (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
Harry Rez	....	key grip (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
Steven H. Smith	....	camera operator (64 episodes, 1990-1993)
J.B. Richner	....	best boy electric (51 episodes, 1989-1991)
Michael D. O'Shea	....	camera operator (20 episodes, 1989-1990)
William Waldman	....	camera operator (4 episodes, 1989)
William H. Battersby Jr.	....	camera operator (4 episodes, 1991)
John Armstrong	....	generator operator (unknown episodes)
Debbie Arrowood	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Joseph Cosko Jr.	....	second assistant camera: second camera (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Heather Horton Addy	....	casting assistant (40 episodes, 1991-1993)
Wendi Matthews	....	casting assistant (25 episodes, 1989-1990)
Leslee J. Burke	....	casting associate (25 episodes, 1990-1991)
Robert Harbin	....	casting / original casting (5 episodes, 1989-1991)
Beth Hymson	....	casting / original casting (5 episodes, 1989-1991)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Loree Parral	....	costume supervisor: women (75 episodes, 1989-1992)
Shelly Levine	....	costume supervisor: men (74 episodes, 1989-1992)
Hope Slepak	....	key costumer (50 episodes, 1989-1991)
Colby P. Bart	....	costume supervisor (22 episodes, 1992-1993)
Karen Bellamy	....	key costumer (17 episodes, 1992-1993)
Barbara Marko	....	key costumer (5 episodes, 1992-1993)

Series Editorial Department
Joe Ann Fogle	....	supervising editor / supervising film editor (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
Mark Wilkins	....	telecine colorist (46 episodes, 1991-1993)
Jean Crupper	....	post-production coordinator (22 episodes, 1992-1993)

Series Music Department
Libby Pedersen	....	music editor (46 episodes, 1991-1993)
Gene L. Gillette	....	music editor (39 episodes, 1989-1991)
Mark Green	....	music editor (11 episodes, 1989)

Series Transportation Department
Norm Benson	....	transportation coordinator (71 episodes, 1990-1993)
David Price	....	transportation coordinator (25 episodes, 1989-1990)

Series Other crew
Nancy E. Wilkerson	....	production coordinator (97 episodes, 1989-1993)
Barbara M. Kadell	....	medical consultant (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
Gareth Wootton	....	medical consultant (96 episodes, 1989-1993)
Linda Klein	....	technical consultant (95 episodes, 1989-1993)
Susan Kinnevy	....	assistant to producers (82 episodes, 1989-1992)
Caroline James	....	production accountant (78 episodes, 1990-1993)
Michael Mann	....	location manager (75 episodes, 1990-1993)
Jean Crupper	....	assistant to producers (74 episodes, 1989-1992)
David E. Kelley	....	creative consultant (74 episodes, 1989-1992)
Kathy Nakayama	....	assistant to producers (71 episodes, 1990-1993)
Helene Davis	....	assistant to producers / assistant to producer (50 episodes, 1989-1991)
Eileen Heisler	....	assistant to producers (50 episodes, 1989-1991)
Barbara Kroells	....	assistant to producers (50 episodes, 1989-1991)
Debra J. Kleid	....	assistant to producers (46 episodes, 1991-1993)
Allyson Rubin	....	assistant to producers (46 episodes, 1991-1993)
Cynthia Ruble	....	assistant to producers (46 episodes, 1991-1993)
Monique S. Salvato	....	assistant to producers (46 episodes, 1991-1993)
Alvin Greenman	....	script supervisor (26 episodes, 1989-1990)
Nat Bernstein	....	story editor / executive story consultant (25 episodes, 1989-1990)
Mitchel Katlin	....	story editor / executive story consultant (25 episodes, 1989-1990)
Rick Wallace	....	executive consultant (25 episodes, 1989-1990)
Kathryn Davison	....	assistant to producers (25 episodes, 1990-1991)
Nick Harding	....	executive story editor / story editor (25 episodes, 1990-1991)
Meredith Underwood	....	assistant to producers (25 episodes, 1990-1991)
Ellen Herman	....	executive story editor (24 episodes, 1991-1992)
Joanie Blum	....	script supervisor (22 episodes, 1990-1991)
Lester Hoyle	....	script supervisor (22 episodes, 1992-1993)
Charles Montoya	....	assistant production coordinator (22 episodes, 1992-1993)
Antoinette Levine	....	location manager (21 episodes, 1989-1990)
Candace Montgomery-Lira	....	production accountant (17 episodes, 1989-1990)
Andrea Walzer	....	script supervisor (16 episodes, 1991-1992)
P.K. Simonds	....	executive story editor (14 episodes, 1992-1993)
Hollis Rich	....	executive story editor (13 episodes, 1990-1991)
Todd Fischer	....	production assistant / production coordinator (10 episodes, 1991)
Caren Branstetter	....	assistant to producers / executive story editor (7 episodes, 1992-1993)
Michael Swerdlick	....	story editor (6 episodes, 1990)
Kenneth Gilbert	....	script supervisor (6 episodes, 1992)
Faye Brenner	....	script supervisor (5 episodes, 1991-1992)

Production Companies

• 20th Century Fox Television
• Steven Bochco Productions

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1989-1993) (USA) (TV)
• EuroVideo (2013-) (Germany) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Other Companies

• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Pacific Studios Inc.  chromatrans background
• Todd-AO Studios  post-production sound services (as Todd-AO Glen Glenn)
• Transition Music  music provided by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min (97 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Stage 18, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

Doogie was born September 21, 1973. His sixteenth birthday, which is celebrated in the pilot episode, is only two days after the pilot aired (September 19, 1989).

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In the Season One opening credits, the article discussing Doogie graduating from high school says that he is 12-years-old in the first line. The next article, however, says that he graduated from Princeton, a college, at age 10. This was later changed, in Season 2, from 12 to 9-years old.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Castle: Almost Famous (#3.7)" (2010)

Interesting and unique show that quickly flat-lined

When it first came out, "Doogie Howser M.D." was one of the more unique shows to grace the airwaves. It centered around a 16-year old child prodigy, Douglas "Doogie" Howser, who was a doctor at a Los Angeles area hospital. He lived with his parents and had a girlfriend, Wanda, and an obnoxious best friend who often came into his house via a window. Each episode ended with Doogie typing up an entry in his personal computer diary. The entry was usually a wise proverb from a lesson learned in the episode.

The show was developed by Steven Bochco who created ground-breaking shows like "L.A. Law" and "Hill Street Blues". Although not nearly as acclaimed as those two shows (the only Emmy awards it was nominated for were for Sound Mixing and Cinematography), it had a satisfying blend of comedy and drama that kept the show interesting but not too serious. Since the two main characters were both teenagers, this lead many people to dismiss it as a kid's show. However, it was much deeper than a kid's show as most of the episodes centered on adult themes such as AIDS, death, and racism. The acting was also very solid. Long before he gained recognition for the show "How I Met Your Mother", I always felt that Neil Patrick Harris was a very underrated actor. Very few teenage actors could have pulled off playing a child prodigy the way he did. It would be hard to imagine anyone else playing the Doogie Howser role.

The first and second season were terrific as they focused around Doogie's struggles to be a normal teenager despite the demands of his job. A common theme was discrimination as he was often discriminated based on his age by patients and even other doctors. He was not afraid, though, to express his views, even if it meant clashing with more seasoned and respected doctors. By the third or fourth season, the show had lost some of its novelty as Doogie was no longer a child prodigy but just a very smart adult. This must have really made it hard for the writers to come up with interesting story lines and it showed. The show began to focus more on Doogie's personal life and Vinnie quirky adventures and less on the hospital. By this time, Doogie had moved out of his parent's house to live in an apartment which meant that less time was devoted to his parents who were an integral part of the show. The ratings declined and a show that seemed like it would be on the air for many years was canceled after only four.